The consequences could be worse than the coronavirus itself: Marie-Josée Jacobs

According to Jacobs, if we can invest billions of euros in the economy, then it must also be possible to spend 300 to 400 million euros on raising the social inclusion income (Revis), the cost-of-living benefit, and the rent subsidy.

Over the past months, the charity has paid €154,000 to people who did not have any financial problems before the corona crisis. Over 400 people called the helpline to ask for support. However, Jacobs stated that Caritas knows that they can only help people in an initial phase.

The president of Caritas also expressed shock over the new unemployment figures published on Wednesday: 4,000 more people out of work. The former CSV minister stated that the consequences of the coronavirus risked becoming worse than the disease itself. Jacobs also suggested the use of "Post Covid groups" that could assess which specific aids would be necessary for different demographics, e.g. the elderly, disabled people, or children.

According to Jacobs, if we want to bring society back together, we need to bring the people that are part of it closer together: "For just a moment you may have thought that we understood that we need each other to advance. And then all of a sudden you notice very quickly that everyone is always trying to look after themselves". After the interview, the president of Caritas took a moment to thank all of the charity's volunteers, staff, and donors.